Tonight at 7 p.m., the Nets try to avenge a blowout loss to the Spurs by taking on the Indiana Pacers at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Nets defeated the Pacers at Barclays Center earlier this season, but the team is just 3-6 in its last nine games.

The Pacers have played great basketball even without star forward Danny Granger and are 20-4 on their home court this season.

David West

Deron Williams To Miss Next Two

It was announced this afternoon that Deron Williams will miss the next two games due to synovitis, inflammation of the ankle joint linings, in both ankles.

He will return to action following the All-Star break. C.J. Watson will likely get the start at point guard tonight, meaning Tyshawn Taylor should see extended time off the bench.

Pacers Coming Off Much-Needed Rest

The Pacers recently won three-straight gams in three-straight days over the Bulls, Hawks and 76ers.

But after a day off, the team lost at home Friday night to the struggling Raptors in overtime. That loss snapped Indiana’s 15-game home winning streak.

Fatigue certainly was a factor in that loss, but the pacers hit the court tonight after a much-needed two-day rest.

The team should be fresh as it gears up for another nice break – the All-Star break. David West had a big game against the Nets in Brooklyn, leading all scorers with 27 points.

Nets Getting Blown Out in Losses

Sure, teams lose games, but mostly competitive teams keep the game close even in losses.

But not the Nets. Whenever they lose, it seems they get completely blown out.

Brooklyn’s last six losses have been by an average of 17.7 points per loss. The fourth quarters are basically irrelevant as P.J. Carlesimo and the opposing coaches merely empty their benches.

Though the Nets beat the Pacers earlier this season, this game could become a blowout if the Nets do not make the necessary adjustments.

Plenty of Trade Talk

The Nets likely will be active with the impending NBA trade deadline.

Kris Humphries increased his stock slightly in Sunday’s loss with an eight-point, seven-rebound performance off the bench.

But if the Nets want to use MarShon Brooks as a trade chip, Carlesimo will have to increase his minutes to show other teams what he can do, especially on the offensive end of the floor.

The Nets seem to covet Hawks’ forward Josh Smith and Bobcats’ guard Ben Gordon. It’s a pretty safe bet that one if not both of these players will call Brooklyn home in the near future.

But Nets’ general manager Billy King would certainly like to hang onto the team’s 2013 first-round draft pick, so maybe a trade would have to include a third team.

Always a Bad Quarter

The third quarter was the Nets’ Achilles heel for much of the first half of the season. Then the team went through a stretch recently of having terrible second quarters.

Last night, the 14-point, five-turnover third quarter sealed the team’s losing fate.

The Nets just can’t seem to put together a complete four-quarter effort. A 35-point first quarter against the Spurs was a great sign, but the team decreased its scoring in each of the next two quarters.

A balanced attack across four quarters is much more effective than trying to relying on one strong quarter and three mediocre quarters.